Enhancing the Unraid Web Interface on iPhone

For anyone who’s tried managing their Unraid server on an iPhone, you know the struggle is real. The standard Unraid web interface isn’t optimized for mobile devices, making it cumbersome to navigate on a small screen. After numerous frustrating attempts to work around the limitations of the non-responsive design, I got frustrated and began searching and found a fantastic solution that has transformed my mobile management experience which includes a few forks so you have some options.

What about mobile apps?

There are indeed a few mobile apps that will let you interact with Unraid API but most of them are very opinionated on the type of things you should be doing on a mobile interface. “A user would definitely never want to add a new disk to a share” or “there’s no way someone would want to add a new SSD to their cache pool” yeah, me! So the mobile apps are out back to making the web actually usable on your phone.

The Problem: A Non-Mobile-Responsive Interface

Unraid’s default web interface is designed with desktop users in mind. On an iPhone, the layout feels huge, really wide, clunky, text and buttons are either too small or misaligned, and overall usability is rough. This meant that tasks which should have been quick and easy became unnecessarily time-consuming, especially when you’re on the go. Surely you want be able to manage you disk array while on the go or restart a docker container because something got stuck one handed while waiting for your coffee to brew.

A Custom CSS to the Rescue

During my search for a solution, I stumbled upon a custom CSS file designed specifically to make the Unraid web interface mobile responsive. This CSS tweak completely overhauled the layout for a smoother, more intuitive experience on mobile devices. The instructions I followed can be found on GitHub: Unraid GUI Responsive.

This implementation not only addresses the awkward spacing and scaling issues but also makes interacting with various elements on the interface far more user-friendly. The best part? It’s a straightforward tweak that doesn’t require deep technical knowledge to apply.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Download the Custom CSS:
   Head over to the GitHub repository and download the custom CSS file. This file is specifically crafted to adapt the Unraid interface to mobile screens.
2. Install the CSS on Your Unraid Server:
   Follow the instructions provided in the repository. Typically, this involves placing the CSS file in the appropriate directory on your Unraid server and modifying the web interface configuration to load this new file instead of the default one.
3. Clear Browser Cache:
   Once installed, make sure to clear your browser cache or perform a hard refresh. This ensures that your iPhone loads the updated, mobile-friendly interface.
4. Enjoy a Better Mobile Experience:
   Open your iPhone’s browser and navigate to your Unraid server. You should now see a responsive interface with improved readability, scalable elements, and an overall smoother experience.

Acknowledgements

A special thank you goes out to dohnutt for implementing this fantastic solution. Additionally, credit must be given to CC Morris, the original creator of the CSS that dohnutt forked from. Their combined efforts have significantly enhanced the usability of the Unraid interface on mobile devices.

Final Thoughts

I spent a lot of time on my iPhone and very little on my desktop computer or laptop. I spend a lot of time at work sitting at a desk and the last thing I wanna do is sit at a computer at home. With this custom CSS, my experience managing Unraid on an iPhone has improved dramatically. If you’re tired of battling with a non-responsive interface, give this solution a try. It’s a simple tweak that can save you a lot of time and hassle.

Feel free to share your experiences or any additional tweaks you’ve discovered in the comments below!

Happy Unraiding!